Tinkering or Transforming

As the Baptist General Convention of Texas moves toward its annual meeting in Fort Worth, many may be wondering what the future holds. Some suggest that “something good is dying”, and there may more truth to their sentiments than we might dare to face. Others believe things will be fine, we just need to “hunker [...]

Scared Straight

Do you remember the last time your heart raced in panic and fear? Too often fear grips and controls us. Too often fear colors our faith into dark shadows of gray.

 
In recent days fear and panic have stuck the power centers of the Western world. As the stock market swooned, and politicians in Washington [...]

A Simple Plan for Change

In less than a month, the Baptist General Convention of Texas will gather in Fort Worth for their annual meeting. In many ways it will be an historic meeting. It will be the first convention preceded over by President Joy Fenner, a wonderful Christian stateswoman who has ably led the convention this year. It will [...]

Voice of the Prophets

How does a local church leader prepare for a world of constant change? How can leaders raise on the “old wines” of denominationalism and traditional church forms embrace the “new wine” of the emerging, missional church? How does one who survives on the traditions and practices of the old system turn loose of the [...]

Old Wine Skins?

As I have been preparing my heart and mind for the days ahead, I have been seeking to see the Baptist General Convention of Texas through new eyes. As most of my readers may know, Bruce Webb, pastor of First Baptist Church of the Woodlands, has announced he will nominate me for the office of [...]

The Business of Missions

I believe we are living in a day of unprecedented time of change in the Western Church. As the world has “flattened” as noted by Thomas Friedman the face and focus of missions has be changing to embrace this reality. The day of missionaries deployed on “slow boats to China” is a relic of the [...]